Sponsor helps maintain sobriety by connecting people, providing social network for recovery community

The latest messaging, social network, geo-location and encryption technologies have been used to create a secure global online platform for people in recovery, working to maintain their sobriety or currently struggling with addictions. Called Sponsor, the just-launched mobile app and platform helps people maintain their sobriety by staying connected to others who are sober or in a recovery program.

The Sponsor app is designed to be a resource to assist in the recovery process and is not a replacement for meetings or other forms of addiction counseling or treatment. Sponsor is currently available in the Apple App Store with an Android version expected in mid-2017.

Addiction is a disease of isolation and connecting with others is a key element of recovery and the fundamental component of all 12-step programs, said Joey Carson, founder and CEO of Sponsor. Sponsor gives people with any type of addiction a platform to reach out for support, get and share information, and manage their sober life and recovery relationships in one place.

Key features of Sponsor

Facilitates daily real-time communication between alcoholics/addicts, which is an integral component of all 12-step recovery programs.

Secure messaging to provide a safe environment for one alcoholic/addict to talk with another.

Make your location visible through the local feature to reach out to others nearby for support or to find a meeting.

Create a profile using optional fields to control how much information is provided to others; share as much or as little as you want, or remain completely anonymous.

Carson, a former television industry executive and pioneer in reality programming, founded Sponsor following a relapse after 25 years of sobriety. Having regained his sobriety, he is currently an advocate for people suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction and is well-known within the recovery community for his efforts.

Some basic facts on addiction

Per a recent report from the U.S. Surgeon General, one in seven people in the U.S. is expected to develop a substance use disorder at some point in their lives and only one in 10 will receive treatment.

88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making it the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.

More than 10 percent of children in the U.S. are living with a parent who has problems with alcohol.

An estimated 95 percent of people who need treatment for alcoholism do not think they need treatment.

Approximately 450 people die every day from drug and alcohol related overdoses; this rate has more than tripled during the past 20 years.